2014 is the year of mobile. Seriously this time.

Small business owners have been hearing for a while now, consistently for the past two years anyway, that the time for mobile is now. Though, few have made the commitment and investment in mobile. During those same two years, mobile has continued to evolve at a rapid pace.

Depending on the type of business, the amount of web traffic from mobile devices could already be outpacing traffic from desktop devices as this chart from Google Analytics confirms. This screen shot was taken from a seasonal restaurant that I have worked with for a number of years. For a while now, their site has received far more visits from mobile devices than from desktop PCs.

mobile traffic outpaces desktop traffic for this SMB

The challenges of diving headfirst into a mobile strategy can be daunting. Think about all of the different devices you’ll need to try to accommodate. There are 4-to-6-inch smartphone screens, plus 7-to-10-inch tablets to consider. Plus, isn’t developing a unique mobile presence expensive?

In order to be successful in the mobile game, a SMB needs to look at their strategy from all sides. Put the customers’ needs ahead of your business wants and make sure you’re developing a quality experience first.

Consider the following:

What are mobile web visitors looking for in their mobile experience? If it’s just a phone number, then make it easy and obvious with a click-to-call button, or at least make your phone number prominent and hyper-linked.

What do I want mobile visitors to do? Is this feasible on a handheld device, or when people are on the go?

How’s the mobile experience on a 3G wireless connection? Obviously, more and more of the country is getting high speed 4G and LTE services, but still, this is too often overlooked. The mobile experience probably does not need fancy slideshows, auto-play video intros, or super high-res images. Again, figure out what mobile visitors want in their mobile experience, and deliver it in a simple way.

As for the price? Mobile does not necessarily need to be expensive (though, it certainly could be). That sounds like a good topic for a separate post.

Is 2014 the year for mobile for your business? Which businesses are more likely to be impacted by this shift to mobile?